Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Shrimp Pad Thai for Two

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Pad Thai is one of my favorite go-to meals and its simplicity makes it perfect to serve at the end of a busy day. While my recipe is a highly Westernized version of the real thing, it is quite satisfying and I think you will enjoy it. Strangely enough, this most popular of Thai dishes is not truly Thai. The dish is the result of political expediency and the vision of a political revolutionary, Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkramin, who in the late 1930's, thought noodles would be a means to advance his country's industry and economy. So, in addition to changing the name of his country from Siam to Thailand, he instituted a series of reforms that would begin the modernization of Thailand. His mandates included the use of forks and spoons, the wearing of more European-style clothing and the use of products made in Thailand. In the process, he created a new Thai diet that was rice based and led to the development of an industry that would make rice and rice-based noodles available for export. It's believed that modern versions of Pad Thai were based on a dish developed by his family's cook. To help battle unemployment, he sent push carts into the streets to introduce the meal to the masses. For a period of time, eating Pad Thai was considered to be a patriotic act and it became the dish most foreigners associated with the country. The irony is the dish is more Chinese than Thai and its resemblance to Vietnamese Pho can't be overlooked. What sets it apart from these other influences, however, is the Thai sense of equilibrium that keeps the sense of sweet, salty, and sour in balance. There are many versions of Pad Thai. Mine is not authentic, but it can be made with ingredients that can be found in most Western kitchens. It is fast, easy, delicious and all-together perfect for a warm summer night. Here is how it is made. I know you will enjoy it.

Directions:
1) Soak noodles in water for 30 minutes or according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
2) In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and cayenne; set aside.
3) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in eggs and scramble until barely set. Transfer to a plate.
4) Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pan. When it shimmers, add garlic and saute until fragrant, about30 seconds. Stir in shrimp and saute until they turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
5) Add noodles and 1/3 cup water to pan. Stir noodles for 3 to 4 minutes, until almost all the water is absorbed, Pour in fish sauce-brown sugar mixture and toss to coat noodles. Return shrimp and eggs to pan and stir to combine and warm. Add bean sprouts, scallions and peanuts, stirring to combine. Serve immediately with lime wedges and cilantro. Yield: 2 generous servings.

21 comments
:

First of all I want to say Happy Birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day.

I just finished reading your about page on Google+ and thought it was wonderful. You're a great writer. It's taking me forever to write an about page for my new site that's launching next week and I'm still not sure I like it.

Yes, these simple recipes are the best ones after a hard day. I´m in my last teaching days....in a couple of weeks my children won´t come back until next Oct. Loved the recipe.Take care and have a great dayMarialuisa

Site Meter

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third-parties nor does it store information about your visit for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a a users prior visits to this website. Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads. This blog is not responsible for the republishing of the content found here on other Web sites or media without the owners permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice